A founding member of the All Progressives Congress, Osita Okechukwu, on Sunday called on the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to respect the South's turn at the presidency for the nation's benefit.
Okechukwu's intervention came after the Southern Political Progressive Amalgamation Forum urged Atiku to think carefully about his vice-presidential choice before the 2027 election to strengthen his support base in the South.
The former Director General of the Voice of Nigeria rejected the forum's appeal, arguing that pressure from such groups had already pushed Atiku away from the rotation principle. "This caused our sister political party, the PDP, to face instability," he said in a statement.
Okechukwu urged Atiku to return to the zoning convention to strengthen Nigeria's democracy. He reminded the former Vice President that he once championed zoning when Goodluck Jonathan served as president.
Since Atiku benefited from the zoning agreement, he should now embrace the principle to promote national unity, fairness, and political peace, according to Okechukwu. "It's never too late to make things right," he told reporters.
The APC chieftain advised Atiku to act as a statesman rather than attacking President Tinubu. He urged him to use the remaining months before 2027 to build a credible opposition instead.
